Interesting. Most of the people I’ve seen using it (myself included) are using it as a kind of a variant of <3, the heart smiley. (There’s a slight difference in meaning between that and the heart, but one that’s too subtle for me to put my finger on right now.)
Hmmm, maybe the meaning is splintering as it becomes more common. I suspect it originated in anime/manga message boards, as that is where I first saw it.
The TV tropes page mainly seems to describe my usage.
Interesting. Most of the people I’ve seen using it (myself included) are using it as a kind of a variant of <3, the heart smiley. (There’s a slight difference in meaning between that and the heart, but one that’s too subtle for me to put my finger on right now.)
Hmmm, maybe the meaning is splintering as it becomes more common. I suspect it originated in anime/manga message boards, as that is where I first saw it.
The TV tropes page mainly seems to describe my usage.
:3 is more “kitty likes you! aww!” or “teehee” and <3 is more “I send my love/kisses” or “wish I was there”. At least, that is how I see it.
Thank you, that fits my intuition. Though :3 can also be a more tender, delicate version of the “love message” in <3. <3 has a more powerful tone.